Conmebol Proposes Expanding 2030 Men’s World Cup to 64 Teams

South America’s football body, Conmebol, has officially proposed expanding the 2030 Men’s FIFA World Cup to include 64 teams. This would be a further increase from the already-expanded 48-team format set for the 2026 tournament.

The 2030 World Cup is already marked special as it marks 100 years since the first tournament was held in Uruguay in 1930. It will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the opening matches played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez said the expansion would give more countries the chance to participate and experience the World Cup. He called the 100-year anniversary a once-in-a-lifetime event and said the celebration should include as many nations as possible.

The idea to expand the number of teams was first brought up informally by the president of the Uruguayan Football Federation during a FIFA Council meeting in March. FIFA responded by saying it has a responsibility to consider any proposal from its members.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended the Conmebol meeting and spoke about how historic the 2030 World Cup would be. The final decision on the proposal could be made during FIFA’s 75th Congress, which will be held in Paraguay on May 15.

If approved, the 2030 World Cup would feature 128 matches double the number of games held in previous tournaments between 1998 and 2022.

However, not everyone supports the idea. Some critics say expanding the tournament further could make the qualification process less meaningful. Environmental groups have also raised concerns, saying that holding the event across three continents would be bad for the environment. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin even called the idea “a bad one.”

Despite the debate, the 2030 tournament is already set to be unique. It’s the first time the World Cup will take place across Europe, Africa, and South America—highlighting its global reach and celebrating its historic roots.